Independent acne guidance
Answer 10 quick questions and get a clear, evidence-based next step: an over-the-counter routine, online care for adults, or a dermatologist visit.
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Answer a few questions about your acne and get a suggested next step: over-the-counter care, adult telehealth, or an in-person dermatologist.
Paste an ingredient list or pick products to flag common acne-routine conflicts and ingredients some people with acne prefer to avoid.
Check whether your benzoyl peroxide product was part of the 2025 recalls. Search by product name or the lot number on the package.
Ingredient pairings
How treatment is matched
Dermatology guidelines match treatment to how severe acne is and who has it. Here is the broad logic our quiz and guides follow.
Mostly blackheads, whiteheads and a few pimples
For mild acne, the FDA allows non-prescription products with benzoyl peroxide (2.5–10%), salicylic acid (0.5–2%) or sulfur, and adapalene 0.1% gel is also available without a prescription. We explain how to choose and how to use them without wrecking your skin barrier.
Frequent inflamed breakouts, and you are 18 or older
Moderate acne usually responds better to prescription treatment. Licensed clinicians at online dermatology services can prescribe for many adults; we compare what they cost and how they work so you can decide.
Deep, painful or scarring acne — or under 18, or pregnant
Nodules, cysts and scarring need a dermatologist's exam. So does acne treatment during pregnancy, and teens should involve a parent or guardian and a pediatrician or dermatologist. Our quiz never sends these groups to paid online services.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Based on the American Academy of Dermatology’s 2024 acne guidelines and the FDA’s over-the-counter acne monograph (M006). See our medical disclaimer.
Popular guides
A simple morning and night acne routine: the steps that matter, where benzoyl peroxide or adapalene fit, and a 4-week plan to ease in gently.
A step-by-step acne plan: gauge severity, pick one OTC active, give it about 12 weeks, and know when you need prescription or in-person care.
Curology, Nurx, Hers, Musely and Agency compared: custom cream or pills, insurance, age rules, compiled prices, and when to see a derm instead.
Acne starts in clogged hair follicles. What causes it, how to tell blackheads from cysts, what does and doesn't trigger it, and when to see a doctor.
How to apply adapalene 0.1% (Differin) gel, what the first 12 weeks look like, how to get through purging and dryness, and when to see a doctor.
Deep cysts, scarring, no change after 2–3 months of OTC care, pregnancy or a look-alike rash: 8 signs to see a dermatologist, and how to prepare.
Why trust us
Acne advice online is full of sponsored “best of” lists and made-up testing. Here is what we do differently — and how we make money.
Guides cite the American Academy of Dermatology’s guidelines, FDA labeling rules and peer-reviewed research — with links, so you can check.
Every page shows whether a licensed clinician has reviewed it. Until one has, it says “Medical review pending” — never an invented expert.
Our tools run entirely in your browser. We don’t store your answers, and there are no advertising pixels on our health pages.
We don’t publish star ratings or “we tested it” claims we can’t back up, and no company can pay to be recommended.
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